


Where the Lovelight Gleams

by Imagination_Parade



Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Lights, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, Fluff, Hot Tub, Kissing, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 18:06:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13129074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imagination_Parade/pseuds/Imagination_Parade
Summary: "Christmas doesn’t have to be a big tree and traditional celebrations, you know," Cassandra said persuasively. "It could be peppermint chocolate chip milkshakes and a night in the hot tub under all these pretty lights.”Cassandra wants to make sure Estrella's not alone on Christmas.





	Where the Lovelight Gleams

**Author's Note:**

> This is pure sappy, Christmas romance, and I can't even defend myself, lol. There just aren't enough stories about these two.

Cassandra giggled as she tumbled through the Back Door of the Annex onto the familiar grounds of the beautiful complex in South Carolina. Hundreds of colored Christmas lights popped on, illuminating the land just as she got her bearings and pulled the strap of her bag back up onto her shoulder; it felt like it was her presence itself, and not the almost set sun in the distance, that had triggered them.

A bright smile on her face, she pulled the sides of her coat together against her chest and quickly navigated her way towards the owner’s residence on the complex, where she knew she’d likely find the woman she was looking for. She only let herself get a little bit distracted along the way, her blue eyes widened a little in wonder as she wandered through a valley of lit-up trees. Soon, and sure enough, she found Estrella standing on the back porch of her family’s residence, her silhouette darkened among the glowing lights. She seemed to be silently taking in the sights, so Cassandra walked up the side steps to the porch quietly. When her movements didn’t seem to draw Estrella’s attention, Cassandra came up behind her and touched her waist gently, one of her hands on either side of Estrella’s body.

“Hey,” Cassandra whispered softly.

With a small, knowing smile on her face, Estrella turned around. Cassandra lifted her hands from Estrella’s body just long enough for the other woman to face her; they fell right back into place, her hands slipping beneath Estrella’s coat this time, when she was done moving.

“What are you doing here?” Estrella asked, her hands coming up to rest on Cassandra’s arms. Cassandra’s presence at her retreat wasn’t unusual. The Librarian had been back many times since they’d first met, but Estrella hadn’t expected her arrival that particular evening.

“It’s Christmas,” Cassandra said. “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Why would I not be okay?” Estrella asked, brushing a wayward piece of hair out of Cassandra’s face.

“I was just thinking about you, and I was worried that…with your family,” Cassandra stuttered. “And I just hated the thought of you being completely alone on Christmas after, well, an eternity that I thought…”

Estrella cupped Cassandra’s face in her palm and stopped her rambling explanation with a gentle kiss. She swallowed Cassandra’s unspoken words, and Cassandra hummed against her lips as Estrella gently stroked her cheek. Their lips separated with a quiet smack, their breaths visibly mingling between them as they took a moment to gaze into the other’s eyes.

When Estrella extracted herself from Cassandra’s embrace, she turned back to the porch, her arms resting on the railing. “I’m afraid I’m not that into Christmas this year,” Estrella admitted.

“That’s okay,” Cassandra shrugged, coming up to the porch beside her. She let her waist fall against the railing, facing Estrella.

Estrella looked up and down Cassandra’s body with a skeptical eye upon hearing Cassandra’s reply. Even in the darkened atmosphere, she could tell Cassandra was radiating Christmas. Under her unbuttoned gray peacoat, Estrella could see that she wore a black blouse covered in sparkly gold stars under a green dress. Christmas knee socks covered her legs, and even her shoes were festive, the red glitter on them sparkling in the glow of the lights.  

“That was sweet of you to come, Cassandra,” Estrella said. “But you don’t have to spend your Christmas evening with such a…that green creature with the tiny heart?”

“A Grinch?” Cassandra asked with an amused smile and a little tilt of her head.

“That’s it,” Estrella confirmed.

“Well, I don’t think you’re such a Grinch,” Cassandra said. “And I _know_ you don’t have a tiny heart, but…look, I’ll go if you want me to, but Christmas doesn’t have to be a big tree and traditional celebrations, you know," she said persuasively. "It _could_ be peppermint chocolate chip milkshakes and a night in the hot tub under all these pretty lights.”

Estrella looked over at Cassandra, contemplating the idea the bubbly woman beside her had just presented. Cassandra, her face already curled into an alluringly mischievous grin, raised her eyebrow in invitation. Estrella tilted her head as if to agree, and Cassandra’s face broke into pure happiness, her hands coming together in front of her body to clap lightly.

“I suppose that’s an idea I could get behind,” Estrella admitted.

 

_Leave it to Cassandra Cillian to find a Christmas bikini_ , Estrella thought fondly as Cassandra slid the back door open. She, still fully dressed, had sent Estrella out to the hot tub as soon as Estrella had finished changing, leaving herself to make the promised peppermint chocolate chip milkshakes. Now, Cassandra scurried over to the hot tub as quickly as she could while balancing a cup of the festive concoction in each hand, the cold winter air biting harshly at her mostly bare skin. Her round breasts were cupped in a red bikini top lined with candy-cane-style red and white striped trim, and a matching skirted bottom with layered solid red and candy-cane-striped ruffles rested low on Cassandra’s hips. Estrella couldn’t help her lingering eyes; she had expected something a bit more modest from Cassandra, never before having seen her wear so little unless she was wearing nothing at all. She was pulled from her staring as Cassandra thrust both drinks, each with a straw and two full candy canes coming out it, in front of her, silently asking her to take them so she could climb in. Estrella grabbed the milkshakes and watched Cassandra slide into the water beside her, only then noticing the Santa hat on Cassandra’s head.

“Nice hat,” Estrella said with a small chuckle.

“Oh, thanks,” Cassandra said, sighing as the hot water cured her chilling body. She pulled the Santa hat slightly off of her head, producing a second one from underneath. “Got one for you, too.”

Deciding to indulge her, Estrella set the milkshakes off to the side and grabbed the silly hat, placing it on her own head as Cassandra readjusted hers. “How do I look?” she asked, looking at Cassandra.

“Perfect,” Cassandra said with a smile as she moved in for a kiss.

When she pulled away, she leaned over Estrella’s body to grab her drink, and Estrella ran her hand across the bared part of Cassandra’s back. Cassandra plucked one of the candy canes out of the drink and popped it into her mouth as she settled into the bubbling water. Estrella watched the merry woman beside her for a moment, Cassandra’s legs gently kicking out in the water in front of her, before sipping on her drink, too. The cool concoction provided a delicious contrast against her rapidly warming skin, and she hummed in pleasure.

“See?” Cassandra said, pulling the candy from her mouth as she spoke. “Christmas can be anything you make it.”

“Are you always this festive?” Estrella asked.

“Yup,” Cassandra replied cheerily, swirling the candy in her drink again. She looked out across the colorful grounds, then up at the icicle lights hanging above her head, and said, “This place looks _awfully festive_ for someone who’s not into Christmas.”

“It’s for the guests,” Estrella said. “They don’t all choose to go home, or some of them don’t have anyone or anywhere to go home to, so they stay here, and we try to make it nice, especially since some of them will never have another Christmas.”

“I wish they could all be as lucky as I was,” Cassandra said softly, her face sobering.

“Me too,” Estrella admitted. She felt a little bad for dulling Cassandra’s spirits, so, with a smile, she added, “But I’m glad you got lucky.”

Cassandra smiled and reached for her. Estrella slid across the bench until she came to her and pivoted slightly, swinging her legs across Cassandra’s lap. Cassandra’s fingers fell naturally against Estrella’s thigh, the tips dancing patterns across her tanned skin. Estrella held her glass up to Cassandra, and Cassandra leaned hers to it until they collided in a loud clink; Cassandra pulled the straw to her red lips with a giggle and looked up at all the lights again.

“My point of this conversation was that everything is beautiful,” Cassandra said, getting back to the topic at hand. She shifted her gaze to Estrella and added, “Including you.”

“Yeah?” Estrella asked.

“The glow of all these lights…it’s a good look for you,” Cassandra promised.

“Mmm…” Estrella hummed. “Likewise.”

She pulled Cassandra’s half-soaked hair off her chest, pushing it behind her shoulder so she could lean in and kiss Cassandra’s neck. A little sigh escaped Cassandra’s lips as Estrella’s touched her skin, her eyes slipping shut.

“Hey,” Cassandra whispered. Estrella pulled back and playfully smiled at Cassandra, her teeth pressed together. Seeing that Estrella’s fangs hadn’t decided to make an appearance, Cassandra pushed her hair back again, tilted her head to the side, and, with a giggle, said, “Carry on.”

 

Later, after washing the chlorine off each other’s bodies, the women lie close together in the middle of Estrella’s bed, their legs tangled under layers of soft quilts. Estrella’s head rested on Cassandra’s shoulder, her face nearly buried in the crook of her neck and her fingers curling into Cassandra’s damp red hair, and Cassandra’s fingers caressed lightly along her back.

“Can I ask you a question?” Estrella asked quietly, as if they weren’t all alone in the large house.

“Of course,” Cassandra replied, matching her tone.

“I know why I’m alone today,” Estrella said, playing with Cassandra’s hair. “But why are you?”

“I wasn’t, not really,” Cassandra said. “I was with my friends; we had a birthday yesterday and a little Christmas celebration this morning. Everyone just kind of scattered after our long holiday lunch.”

“And you don’t have any blood family?” Estrella asked, a hint of sympathy to her voice.

“I do,” Cassandra admitted. “I just haven’t had much to do with them in years…even less since the tumor was removed, actually.”

“Saving your life made things _worse_?” Estrella asked with surprised.

Cassandra was quiet for a long time, and Estrella was afraid she’d said something wrong. Just as she was about to apologize, Cassandra spoke.

“My parents stopped wanting me the moment a timeline left the doctor’s lips when I was a kid,” she said. “I just keep thinking…if they had ever _really_ wanted me, they wouldn’t have made me feel like they didn’t for so long after something went wrong, so…it’s my fault. I haven’t reached out, but I’m not alone. I had my friends, and now I’m here with you.”

“Well, I promise you, you’re wanted here,” Estrella said softly.

Cassandra used a single, slender finger to tilt Estrella’s chin up towards her, and their mouths lingered against each other in long, tender kisses that still tasted like peppermint.

“Thank you,” Cassandra whispered, clearly touched, as they pulled away.

“Thank you for coming to check on me,” Estrella replied. “It was a nice surprise.”

Cassandra closed her eyes in contentment, held her lover a little bit tighter, and softly whispered, “Merry Christmas.”

Estrella, snuggling into Cassandra to sleep, replied, “Merry Christmas.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I know it's a holiday, but if you have a moment, a comment would make my day :)


End file.
